Histoire, architecture et mémoire au seuil de la prison : dispositifs scénographiques et enjeux patrimoniaux au castelet à Toulouse au XXIe siècle

Abstract

The architectural history of the vast Saint-Michel prison in Toulouse is rich : studied under the Second Republic, then built under the Second Empire, its originality lies in its plan, which takes up the radial typology, a variation of English and American models that favored individual confinement, but adapted to imperial prison theories, which favored confinement by categories. Particularly noteworthy is the entrance building, known as Le Castelet, built of brick in a neo-Medieval architectural style, using a language rarely used on this scale for French prisons. Composed of crenellations and arrow holes, the façade of Le Castelet is a landmark in the city and soon became emblematic of the Saint-Michel district. This part of the prison, officially recognized as a heritage site, has been hosting an exhibition space dedicated to the history of the prison, its architecture, the inmates and the Resistance since october 2020. The article questions the heritage and museographic project currently proposed to the visit, in the light of the complex history of the building.

Keywords

• resistance
• detention
• prison heritage
• Saint-Michel Prison
• museography
• inmates